Montauk Downs State Park
A windswept Robert Trent Jones design at the very tip of Long Island, rated among the best public courses in New York and a genuine bucket list round for any traveling golfer who likes a stiff sea breeze.
Photo: Montauk Downs State Park via Google.
The verdict
Drive as far east as Long Island goes and you reach Montauk, a fishing town with ocean on three sides and one of the finest public golf courses in New York State. Robert Trent Jones Sr. rebuilt the course in 1968 with his son Rees, and the result is a muscular par 72 that rewards a player who can flight the ball low and think their way around the wind.
What makes Montauk Downs special is the setting and the exposure. There is no shelter out here: the breeze off the Atlantic and Block Island Sound can turn a gentle par 4 into a three shot hole and back again within an afternoon. Add Jones bunkering, elevation changes that are rare on Long Island, and conditioning that punches well above a state park budget, and you have a round that belongs on any New York golf trip.
Montauk Downs State Park at a glance
- Opened
- 1968 redesign
- Designer
- Robert Trent Jones Sr.
- Type
- Seaside parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,762 yards
- Green fee
- From about 50 dollars
Designer and details verified June 2026: Robert Trent Jones Sr. redesigned the present course in 1968 with assistance from his son Rees Jones, and it plays a par 72 of roughly 6,762 yards from the back tees. Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 50 dollars for New York residents to higher non resident rates, with peak rounds published near 130 dollars; fees change by residency, day and season, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Downs earns its name on the back nine, where the land tilts and tumbles more than anywhere else on Long Island and the wind has the final say. The par 3s are the signature: long, exposed and often played into a gale, they ask for a committed strike and a low, controlled flight rather than a high target shot that the breeze can swallow.
Robert Trent Jones favored heroic carries and large, firm greens, and Montauk Downs delivers both. The fairways are framed by sandy waste and deep bunkering, the greens are quick and subtly tiered, and the closing stretch plays back toward the clubhouse with the ocean light low across the dunes. It is a course that feels bigger and wilder than its yardage suggests.
For the traveling golfer, Montauk Downs is the eastern anchor of a Long Island golf trip: a great Jones design, fully public, and a round you will remember for the wind alone.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public, New York State park; open to all, with lower rates for New York residents |
| Green fee | From about 50 dollars for residents, higher for non residents, indicative 2026; peak rounds near 130 dollars |
| Booking | Book through the New York State park reservation system; weekends fill early in summer |
| On the day | Walking allowed; carts available; standard golf dress; bring rain and wind layers |
| Getting there | At the eastern tip of Long Island in Montauk, roughly three hours from Manhattan; the LIRR runs to Montauk village |
| Best months | Roughly May to October; high summer is busiest and the wind is a constant |
Access and fees verified June 2026; state park pricing and resident rates change year to year, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Montauk is a resort town in summer, with hotels and inns along the ocean within minutes of the first tee, so an early round is easy to arrange. Out of season the pace slows and rates ease, which is when the regulars say the golf is at its best.
For a wider New York golf trip, Montauk Downs pairs with the great public Tillinghast test at Bethpage Red Course on central Long Island and the lakeside resort round upstate at Leatherstocking Golf Course.
Looking for a base nearby? See our recommended hotels and resorts.
Build a New York golf trip
We arrange tee times at Montauk Downs, pair it with the best public golf on Long Island and upstate, and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Montauk Downs questions
Who designed Montauk Downs?
Robert Trent Jones Sr. redesigned the present course in 1968 with assistance from his son Rees Jones. It plays a par 72 of roughly 6,762 yards at the eastern tip of Long Island.
Is Montauk Downs open to the public?
Yes. Montauk Downs is a New York State park course open to all golfers, with lower rates for New York residents. Tee times are booked through the state park reservation system.
How much does it cost to play Montauk Downs?
Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 50 dollars for New York residents to higher non resident rates, with peak rounds published near 130 dollars. Rates change by residency, day and season, so always confirm directly before booking.
What makes Montauk Downs special?
The setting and the wind. The course sits at the exposed tip of Long Island with ocean on three sides, and the Robert Trent Jones layout rolls over more dramatic terrain than almost anywhere else on the island.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, redesign year and history verified June 2026; yardage and indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.